Starting yoga in a Mysore class

Self-practice classes always have students of mixed abilities working side by side and complete beginners are welcome. Students who are beginners and have never actually seen or attended a self-practice class are encouraged to come in and ‘observe’ first to give them an idea of how things operate before they commit themselves to classes.

At your first class you will be shown the sun salutations and how to breathe correctly. You will also be taught about the bandhas. The first lesson will last approximately 30 minutes. Although this may not sound much, there will be a lot of repetition and students usually find this is more than enough.

The next time you attend you will be shown the next posture and so on until you have built up a sequence of postures that you can do without too much prompting or assistance.

We teach in a traditional style which means that usually we will be giving physical, hands on adjustment. Whilst we try to ensure that these are beneficial and safe we recognise that some people will still prefer not to be adjusted. We want to assure anyone who comes to our Shala that that are free to say no to adjustments at any time and we will respect your wishes and will not ask you to explain your reasons.

If you are new to the practice, you need to be realistic: it will be very hard to learn the sequence if you are not coming to class/practising at least two to three times a week. For most people coming in three or four times a week, it will take about a month to learn the standing postures and some of the sitting postures. After this point, progress slows down as the postures become more challenging.

In general, as a beginner you will be shown new postures fairly regularly but after a while this process slows down depending on your body type and any physical difficulties. Students are encouraged to take their time rather than risk injury.

To drop in to your first initial taster class as a beginner, the cost is £18.00. See our prices page for more details. Please email or call the relevant teacher beforehand: